1. The Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a snow removal device affixed to a vehicle carrying a water tank, a steam generating system and a container which gathers in snow and ice, melts the snow and ice contained therein while transporting the container to a dump position over said tank. The accumulated water is used by the steam generating system and when sufficient amounts of water are stored in the tank the vehicle is allowed to discharge the stored water into sewers or other removal vehicles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Existing snow removal vehicles have the general design wherein the snow is transported in its solid state, unheated to various melting mechanisms mounted to the vehicle. Many difficulties are encountered by the snow transport mechanisms as rocks and other hard objects tend to break the mechanism. Since the snow is transported in the cold state, from the pickup point to the melting apparatus, the entire melting cycle is forced to take place during the period that the snow and ice is in the melting mechanism. Thus protracted periods of time are required between successive dumping of snow in the melter or by the low pickup rates that are employed by those devices that deliver a constant stream of snow and ice to the melter.